London Lantern

Putting the Spotlight on London

Our Politically Incorrect Taxi Driver - Part 2

26/02/2001, By Sean Farrell

Reader Rating: 2.9 from 19896 votes

My part in the downfall of South Korean TV was to pick the film crew up outside the carriage office and take them to a destination, being filmed whilst doing so. We had to do one take with the cameraman behind the “punter” who hails me; and then another with the cameraman inside the cab giving the driver’s perspective.

The television presenter stuck his head through the window, or tried to until I opened it and told me he wanted “Pratt Street”.

“Sorry guv, I’m going ‘ome,” is what I wanted to say but this was my chance to make it big in South Korea.

It was not a long job and on the way I was being asked questions whilst the tape was still rolling. One question he asked was, “When I asked for Pratt Street, why did you not need to look it up in a map book?”

I put my forefinger to my temple and tapped the side of my head a few times, “The map book is in my head” I replied confidently.

This went down a storm and I had to do the shot from this angle, that angle, from the floor, through the sunroof. I could tell I was going to be big in South Korea.

Having the map book “in our head” is what the knowledge is all about. Since becoming a cab driver I have gone through university and have an “ology” in History and letters after my name – though my friends would say they have always put letters after my name, though not quite the letters I have in mind.

To this day I still feel that learning to become a cab driver was harder than the degree.